Automobile brake tester



EST, 1932. R. P. KETCHAM 1,845,734 AUTOMOBILE BRAKE TESTER Filed Sept.15, 1928 Gtbouwg Patented Feb. 23, k1932..

UNITED STATES RALPH Pl KETCHIAM, OF BLOOMINGTON, INDINA- AUTOMOBILEBRAKE TESTER Applioationvled September 15, 1928. Serial No. 806,20?.

lo vide a brake tester which is adjustable 'for use with drum carryingwheel hubs of various sizes.

l A further object of the invention is to rovide a brake tester having agauge for indicating the force 'required to' rotate the wheel at a givenpressure on the brake pedal and thus providing means for adjusting thebrakes to uniform setting. Other objects of the invention not speciliggcally mentioned in the foregoing will be apparent during the course ofthe following de-` scriptlon.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device 2.6 showingit `in position on an automobile wheel,

Figure 2 is a view showing a wheel in section andan elevation of thedevice in position on the wheel, p

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicatesan automobile wheel having a tire 2 and provided with a hub 3.

In carrying the invention into effect, I employ a lever which includes arigid lower portion 5 and riveted or otherwise secured to the upper endof the lower portion of the lever is a spring 6 which forms the flexibleupper portion of the lever, the spring being` tapered in thicknesstoward its upper end and provided with an outwardly extending handle 7.'The portion 5 of the lever is bowed' to provide one -half of a collar8, and formed on the lower end portion of the lever at its lower end isan inwardly projecting arm 9 having concave spoke seats 10 formed in theedges thereof.

' ected.

Associated with the portion 5 of the lever' and disposed to cooperatewith the bowed portion thereof is a bowed strap 11 forming the otherhalf of the collar 8, and extending through the portion 5 and throughthe ends of the strap are bolts 12 provided with wing I nuts 13. Y e

Riveted or otherwise secured to the lower portion of the lever near thebase end ofthe spring 6` is a plate 14 substantially triangular in shapeand having a scale 15 imposed v transversely upon its outer face nearthe up-` per edge thereof. Formedon the spring 6 near' the upper en dthereof and disposed inwardly is a pointer 16 to cooperate with thescale 15. v When it is desired to determine the amountY of forcerequired to rotate the brake carryin wheel at a given pressure on thefoot peda the wheel to be tested is first jacked clear of l the ground.4The device is then placed in f position on the wheel with the collar 8fitting about the hub and the arm 9 engaging a lspoke ofsaid wheel. Thebrake pedal is de-v `pressed to the brake setting position before 75,

the testing operation is effected. The handle 7 is then grasped andswung to one side un# til the wheel begins to rotate, the spring 6being, of course, coincidently flexed by the force exerted on thehandle. Accordingly,

the pointer 16 willbe shifted to indicate on the scale 15, the forcerequired to rotate the wheel so that the same operation may be performedon the other brake carrying Wheels of the car and a uniform brakesetting ef` 85 to fit about wheel hubs of different diameters, 10

means cooperating `with said collar and adapted to engage a, Yxortionofthe wheel remote from the hub w ereby the lever muy be swung forrotating the wheel, and means for indicating the force required to turnsaid wheel.

3. A brake testing device including a lever havinor a flexible portionand a. rigid portion provided with un arm to enga e a spoke of a mwheel, a collar carried by the rigid portion of the lever to fit aboutthe wheel hub whereby the lever may be swung for rotating the wheel, andmeans fixed on the ri 'd portion for indicating the travel of the exiblepor- Y tion of the lever when such portion is flexed. In testimonywhereof I aix m si ature.

RALPH P. KETCHAL L. 8.]

